AEC Tech News #148

One of the sessions I attended at the recent AIA
Convention in Las Vegas covered the use of collaboration software and
techniques. Several architectural firms related their experience with
implementing and using such systems to formalize the collaboration
process. Collaboration techniques based on electronic information and
document management have been a topic of much interest over the past
several years, not only within the AEC industries but also for business
processes in many other industries.

The need for good collaboration is obvious in processes as potentially
complicated as those in the AEC industries. Typically, many different
entities are involved in getting a building constructed, including
building owners, users, financiers, design professionals and
consultants on the many specialized component parts found in a
building. Collaboration techniques involving technological tools have
been available and in use for many years now in various industries,
generating a growing amount of information and experience about
implementation issues and solutions to problems that have been faced
and overcome, with varying degrees of success.

People
problems
I was struck by how many of the problems and solutions found in
collaboration technologies are the same as those found in the
implementation of all kinds of technology changes in firms, including
CAD usage, project and financial management, building technology and
CAD standards, information storage and retrieval, and so on. Many of
the problems are not technology issues at all, but rather basic people
issues and human relations management problems.

The session I attended was presented by Kristine Fallon, FAIA, who has
had many years of experience in information technology systems for the
AEC industries, and Stephen Hagan, FAIA, the current director of the
Project Knowledge Center of the GSA (General Services Administration),
which is in charge of the design and construction of all public
buildings for the U. S. federal government.

Many collaboration and electronic document managing systems are
available, encompassing a variety of capabilities and a corresponding
range of costs. Any firm that is contemplating a collaboration system
needs to do its own research to find a system tailored specifically to
its needs and its budget constraints. I don’t intend to address the
many different systems available in this issue of our newsletter, but
instead concentrate on the common people issues involved with
implementing these and other information management systems.

No way out
For electronic document management and collaboration systems to be
effective, they must achieve universal participation. If people can
bypass the system and fall back on old paper document management
techniques, either through limitations of the software system or
through management failures, the system will lose much of its usability
and effectiveness. An effort must be made to eliminate paper documents
throughout the process of design and construction. If a part of the
system does not allow the elimination of paper, that part of the system
should be changed.

Of course, any technology that changes people’s work habits and methods
can’t be implemented overnight. Many technology changes can initially
be implemented partially and in phases. But with collaboration systems,
every effort needs to be made to achieve 100% utilization as quickly as
possible. The quick elimination of parallel systems and reliance on
paper-based systems must be a priority.

One part of this effort that can be difficult to achieve is the
elimination of “wet signature” approvals and documentation of legal
requirements, but the use of electronic signatures is gaining
acceptance fairly rapidly. Including all pertinent e-mail messages in
project documentation is also reported to be a common problem
experienced by many users of these systems.

Ingredients for successful implementation include adequate training
prior to implementation and the inclusion of requirements for use
within contract documents. The impetus for adoption of these systems
usually comes from building owners, who stand to lose or gain the most
from better collaboration and efficiency in design and construction. We
have reported in this newsletter (Sept 16, 2004) on a
study conducted by NIST (National Institute of Science and Technology)
that estimated the cost of inadequate interoperability in building
design and construction to be almost $16 billion annually, most of
which accrues to building owners and managers.

Solicit
support
The one overriding ingredient in the implementation of any information
technology system is achieving good “buy-in” by the users of the
system. This means that users of the system have a good understanding
of the benefits of using it, and they can get beyond a grudging
acceptance, or even resistance, to using it. This can be the most
difficult issue to overcome, though it’s the most important aspect to
achieve.

Good buy-in is most likely to be achieved by including key stakeholders
and user groups in the selection and decision-making process leading up
to implementing a system. Sufficient training is also required to ease
the pain of transition to any new software or IT system. And as is
often the case with technology, successful implementation comes down to
basic management issues rather than actual technology difficulties.

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